Tired of Feeling Tired? 7 Simple Ways to Improve Your Sleep

If you’re waking up tired, it may not be about how long you sleep but how well you sleep. It is important to optimize both the quality and quantity of the sleep you get. The good news is that small changes to your routine and environment can make a big difference. Tha Saw, MD, sleep medicine specialist at Overlake Clinics Sleep Medicine, shares seven ways to reset your evenings and wake up feeling more rested:

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1. Keep a consistent schedule: It can be tempting to stay up late and sleep in on weekends. But going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body’s internal clock. Try not to vary your schedule by more than an hour, as significant changes can make your body feel as though it’s experiencing jet lag.
2. Power down before bed: Phones, tablets, and TVs emit blue light that interferes with your brain’s production of melatonin, your body’s sleep hormone. The best thing to do would be to turn off screens at least one or two hours before bedtime, which is often easier said than done. The next best thing is to dim the screen, use night mode, skip overstimulating content close to bedtime and keep screens out of the bedroom entirely.
3. Create a sleep-friendly space: Your bed should only be used for sleep and intimacy. We want to support positive sleep associations, which are subconscious relationships that your brain creates. If your brain is automatically linking the bed with social media consumption, then it will be harder to wind down at night. Minimize distractions and maximize comfort. Most people sleep best in a room between 60°F and 67°F. If you live in Washington and don’t have air conditioning, warmer nights can make that tricky. Try using a fan, keeping blinds or blackout curtains closed during the day, and opening windows at night to let in cooler air.
4. Build a calming routine: A consistent wind-down routine will signal that the day is over. Repeatable, low-stimulation activities are recommended before transitioning to bed. Some examples include journaling, light stretches, breathing exercises, or reading something relaxing — not a page-turner that keeps you awake.
5. Watch what you drink: Caffeine and alcohol can disrupt sleep. Caffeine blocks the brain signals that help you feel tired, making it harder to fall asleep at night. Alcohol may make you feel drowsy at first, but it can disrupt your sleep later in the night and make it harder to stay asleep. For better rest, try to stop drinking caffeine by early afternoon and avoid alcohol close to bedtime.
6. Time your workout wisely: Regular exercise supports better sleep, but intense activity close to bedtime can make it harder to wind down. Avoid strenuous workouts within two or three hours of bedtime.
7. Limit nighttime disruptions: Reduce fluids in the evening and use the bathroom right before bed to help minimize waking during the night.

When to Seek Help

If better habits aren’t enough and sleep problems are affecting your daily life, don’t ignore them. Start with your primary care provider. They may refer you to Overlake's sleep medicine clinic, where specialists diagnose and treat conditions like sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. Together, you can make a plan to help you get the rest you need to feel energized and perform at your best.